Crushed Lentils with Tahini and Cumin ~ if you love hummus, try this healthy Middle Eastern lentil appetizer from Yotam Ottolenghi! It’s a warm dip that’s hearty, satisfying, and so delicious.
This is my second attempt from YotamOttolenghi’s PLENTY MORE, his new collection of vegetarian recipes and my current cookbook obsession. This is a comforting appetizer, or really even a light meal, which is how I ate it, and it is soooooo good. As I was scarfing it down with my freshly made pita bread I tried to pinpoint exactly what was so pleasing about it so I could report back to you, but after a few bites I lost the battle. Words, thoughts, table manners… they didn’t stand a chance against the warm plate in front of me.
You’ll just have to trust me on this one…it’s a little like hummus, but it’s chunkier and has more depth of flavor…there is not one element I would remove from the mix; the Puy lentils are soft yet retain their shape, the tomatoes, cumin and cilantro give a background bite, the tahini is so luscious and creamy, the raw red onions give you a sweet sharp crunch, and I know I don’t need to tell you about eggs cooked just to the point where the yolk is solid. You need it all, and it’s all just perfect.
It occurred to me, too, that this dish is a rare example of a comfort food that is actually healthy. It covers all the bases without meat, fat, or empty calories. The eggs and the pita really make it a complete meal, so if you’re in the mood to try something non-traditional for dinner, or if you’re trying to cut back on meat, this is a goodie. It comes together in under an hour, with hardly any effort.
To go with your crushed lentils with tahini and cumin, try my Homemade Pita Bread, or my Homemade Laffa Bread, both authentic Middle Eastern flatbreads that are easy to make.
Reader Rave ~
“This is a go-to for a meatless entree in my house. I think it’s traditionally a side dish but we make pitas, from your recipe, and make them sort of like tacos. Even my kids eat this and my husband enjoys it as well which is saying a lot for a meat eater! Love this recipe.” ~ Brittany
Crushed Lentils with Tahini and Cumin ~ if you love hummus, you might want to try this warm lentil appetizer from Yotam Ottolenghi ~ this Middle Eastern dip has lots of flavor and texture!
Ingredients
- 1 cup small green Puy lentils (look for the smaller ones, sometimes called French lentils, not the regular ones)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- scant 2 cups finely diced tomatoes
- a full cup of cilantro leaves (or as many as you can muster)
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice (I used one lemon)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 1/3 small red onion, sliced very thinly
- 4 eggs, hard boiled
- hot smoked paprika, regular paprika, or sumac
- a good drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the lentils. Turn down the heat a bit and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the lentil are just cooked. The small Puy lentils don't get mushy like regular brown lentils do. Drain the lentils and set aside.
- In a large skillet melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cumin to the pan and stir for about a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan, along with about half of the cilantro, and the lentils. Stir to combine, and let it cook for a minute.
- Stir in the tahini, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of salt and lots of fresh ground pepper. Let cook gently, for about 5 minutes.
- Note: Ottolenghi adds a little water to the pan, I didn't need it. He also says to mash the lentils with a potato masher at this point. I didn't do that, I preferred the texture of the soft but whole lentils. It's your call.
- Serve the lentils hot, sprinkled with the sliced onion and the rest of the cilantro, along with the cooked eggs. Drizzle with olive oil and dust with paprika. Eat with pita bread.
Notes
recipe (with minor changes) from Plenty More
Notes:
- Ottolenghi calls it crushed lentils, but I didn’t really crush them, the cooking renders them soft and I didn’t feel the need to mash them further. If you are going to serve this as an appetizer you might want to crush them a bit so they are easier to scoop up with bread.
33 Comments
Lynn
February 16, 2019 at 4:16 amHave you doubled this recipe?
Sue
February 16, 2019 at 8:37 amI haven’t done that Lynn, but as I recall it makes quite a bit. I don’t see any reason you couldn’t double it, though.
Brittany
December 5, 2018 at 3:54 pmThis is a go to for a meatless entree in my house. I think it’s traditionally a side dish but we make pitas , from your recipe, and make them sort of like tacos. Even my kids eat this and my husband enjoys it as well which is saying a lot for a meat eater! Love this recipe.
Sue
December 5, 2018 at 4:04 pmI can vividly remember how much my husband and I loved this one too Brittany, thanks for your nice feedback!
Shaheen
September 24, 2017 at 9:01 amMade this for dinner and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing .
Sue
September 24, 2017 at 9:19 amGreat to hear that Shaheen ~ I remember how much my husband and I loved it when I first made it. I like the idea of making dinner out of it, too, thanks!
Margaret
February 1, 2016 at 5:10 amI got this cookbook for Christmas and just love it and all the recipes in it.
Sue
February 1, 2016 at 7:14 amI have all of them, I think now, and they are treasure troves, Margaret. He’s amazing.
Farida
January 9, 2016 at 10:56 pmlooks really good! love this middle eastern inspired dish!
Sue
January 10, 2016 at 8:38 amThanks Farida – we all loved it too!
Kerri
July 8, 2015 at 6:48 pmMade this tonight and it was delicious! We ate it as a light meal, I was looking forward to left overs for tomorrows lunch, but there wasn’t any! :( Next time, I’ll double it! :)
fungi foodie
February 9, 2015 at 11:05 amBeautiful pictures. I’ve made this recipe too and it’s sooo good!
Sue
February 9, 2015 at 12:17 pmNever made anything of his I didn’t fall in love with!
Ashley Talebi
January 24, 2015 at 1:39 pmI’m half persian and these look like they have a wonderful middle eastern flare. Thanks for sharing.
CreativeSportsKitchen.com
Sue
January 24, 2015 at 6:24 pmI think you’ll love these, Ashley, have you read any of Ottolenghi’s books?
Victoria {Scissors & Sage}
November 16, 2014 at 6:52 amI have admired your blog for some time, and am always so impressed. Your recipes look equal parts delicious and attainable. I can’t wait to try this one with your homemade pita bread. -Victoria
Mimi
November 7, 2014 at 8:41 amBeautiful. And great recipe. After you’ve had the Le Puy and some of the similar varieties, there’s no going back, is there?!!
Sue
November 7, 2014 at 9:21 amAbsolutely, I can never buy those mushy grey ones again!
Angie@Angie's+Recipes
November 7, 2014 at 5:55 amA wonderfully comforting and delicious lentil recipe, Sue, and those photos are very beautiful. Love your serving platter too.
Amanda
November 6, 2014 at 4:23 pmThis is gorgeous!!!
The Blonde Chef
November 6, 2014 at 2:50 pmThis is probably my ideal comfort meal! Lentils? Tahini? I’m sold! And I’m looking forward to your pita recipe!
Sue
November 6, 2014 at 4:45 pmThe pita took me several tries, but I finally came up with a nice soft, pillowy one, just the way I like it ;)
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
November 6, 2014 at 1:22 pmWow – this does look great! I love my new cookbook and this recipe sounds perfect. I like the light meal idea with a little bread on the side. Comfort food – yes mam!
Candace
November 6, 2014 at 9:17 amAs soon as I saw this post yesterday, I ran right out to get the ingredients for dinner. We loved it, Sue! Thanks so much for another great recipe that will now become a favorite here at the Squash House!
Cheers!
Sue
November 6, 2014 at 11:16 amSo glad it worked for you, Candace…it will be a staple in our house this winter!
Recipes Gawker
November 6, 2014 at 1:11 amHi there,
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John@Kitchen+Riffs
November 5, 2014 at 1:38 pmGreat pictures! And a lovely recipe. Really nice job with this — thanks so much.
SallyBR
November 5, 2014 at 11:38 amlove to see a recipe from one of my latest acquisitions in the cookbook department….
haven’t made anything yet, but some of the blogs I follow are showing his recipes, paving the way for my adventures…
your dish turned out beautiful, I think keeping the lentils “whole”, or un-mashed was a good move to enjoy it as a meal.
Sue
November 5, 2014 at 3:55 pmThanks Sally — it’s interesting to see how different cooks respond to a new cookbook — I start flipping through and then I instantly know when I’ve hit something that I’m going to make — this just jumped off the page at me!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine
November 5, 2014 at 10:17 amYummers, it sounds amazing Sue. But I’m thinking that you might be the only person who could make crushed lentils look like a piece of art work.
Sue
November 5, 2014 at 11:28 amThanks Chris!
Catherine
November 5, 2014 at 6:55 amDear Sue, This is a beautiful presentation of the meal and it sounds delicious. Catheirne
Sue
November 5, 2014 at 9:02 amThanks Catherine!